I read an article that mentioned a ball player's "ham-handed challenges" to his team. I hadn't heard the term before, but I am sure many of you have? One definition was "clumsy" or "inept," both of which fit. Apparently "hamfistedness" is chiefly British.

Do you use the phrase?

I've only ever come across "ham-fisted" before. It's fairly common here.

arnie, does it mean "inept?" I don't see what "ham" has to do with ineptness or clumsiness, I guess.

It's only a guess but I'd guess that it refers to your hands being as big and as manoevreable as a ham.

I agree with Bob. The phrase is rather more recent than I'd imagined, though. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary

quote:

Ham-fisted (1928) was originally in reference to pilots who were heavy on the controls, as was ham-handed (by 1918).

We of course use "ham" to denote overacting in theatre, but I've not heard it used as "ham-handed." That origin makes sense, Bob.

I believe ham-handed derives from the duties of Hormel meat packers.